Advocate urges SC to take cognizance of Dharmasthala Burials, seeks SIT oversight by Retired Judge
New Delhi: Advocate Rohit Pandey of the Supreme Court has written to the Chief Justice of India requesting the apex court to take suo motu cognizance of the alleged mass burials in Dharmasthala and to place the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge.
In his letter dated September 16, Pandey stated that the extraordinary disclosures surrounding the case, including exhumed human remains, public testimonies, and corroborations by villagers, demanded urgent judicial intervention to ensure independence, transparency and accountability in the investigation.
Allegations and SIT probe
The letter recalls that sanitation worker C.N. Chinnayya had, in July 2025, sworn an affidavit before the court and lodged a complaint with police, alleging that he was compelled to secretly bury victims of heinous crimes and rapes over the past two decades in Dharmasthala. Acting on his disclosures, the Karnataka government formed an SIT on July 20, which has since exhumed skeletal remains, skulls, and clothing items from multiple sites.
Villagers, including Vittal Gowda, uncle of Soujanya, the 17-year-old rape and murder victim of 2012, have testified that they witnessed Chinnayya burying bodies in the past. Guided by his earlier disclosures, villagers reportedly led the SIT to Banglegudde, where several bodies are visibly present.
On September 13, a senior Karnataka minister confirmed publicly that a large number of bodies had been unearthed by the SIT in Dharmasthala, describing the findings as resembling a “battlefield.”
Concerns over pressure and intimidation
Despite the findings, Pandey’s letter alleges that the SIT is facing pressure not to exhume further visible bodies. He also raised concerns that lawyers assisting victims in approaching the SIT are being harassed by state police outside the SIT, terming it an attack on the independence of the Bar.
Demands before the Supreme Court
In light of these circumstances, the advocate urged the Chief Justice to intervene and ensure judicial oversight. The letter specifically requests the court to:
Take suo motu cognizance of the Dharmasthala mass burials case;
Place the SIT under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court judge;
Direct immediate exhumation and forensic examination of all visible remains under judicial oversight;
Ensure protection for witnesses, victims’ families, and assisting lawyers.
“Justice imperilled”
Pandey cautioned that when human remains remain unexhumed due to pressure and witnesses are silenced, “justice itself is imperilled.” He underlined that the intervention of the Supreme Court was the only safeguard to prevent truth from being buried and to uphold the dignity of the law.
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Minor girl kidnapped and raped; main accused and two cafe owners held
Latur (PTI): A minor girl was allegedly kidnapped and raped by an 18-year-old man in Latur, leading to the arrest of the main accused and owners of two cafes where the crime occurred on December 4, police said on Saturday.
Police traced the girl within hours of registering the complaint. The accused, identified as Rihan Gulab Shaikh, was arrested based on the girl's complaint. Two others are owners of two cafes where the crime occurred, police said.
Police registered a case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), POCSO Act, and the Prevention of Atrocities Act, an official said.
